Mental Health

Since 1998 the Church of England has been involved in debates surrounding the Government's review of the 1983 Mental Health Act. A Mental Health Interest Group is chaired by the Archdeacon of Lincoln, the Ven. Arthur Hawes, a former Mental Health Act Commissioner. The Church of England (Mission & Public Affairs) is also an associate member of the Mental Health Alliance, a group of charities formed to monitor the review of the Act. Submissions were made to the Department of Health in 2001 and 2002.

In November 2004 the Church of England made a submission to the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill. The submission can be accessed here. When the Government introduced a new Mental Health Bill in November 2006, the Bishop of Manchester set out the Church's position in the Second Reading debate.

General Synod debates

In February 2008 the General Synod debated the report 'Continuing Issues in Mental Health' prepared by the Mission & Public Affairs Council. The debate addressed the need to improve mental health services in hospitals and in the community, and challenged both the Government and Church to deepen their engagement in this area. It was framed within the context of the 2007 Mental Health Act, and called for better treatment of people with mental disorders in relation to the criminal justice system. It also drew attention to the increasingly high profile of spirituality in mental health care. The motion carried by Synod can be read here.

General Synod previously debated the issue of mental health in February 2003. Two reports were prepared for the debate, Emerging Issues in Mental Health and Personality Disorder and Human Worth. They are available from alison.cundiff@c-of-e.org.uk. The motion carried at the debate can be read here.

Promoting Mental Health - A Resource for Spiritual and Pastoral Care

Promoting mental health: A resource for spiritual and pastoral care is a flexible tool for use in parishes, in a range of different groups and situations to trigger discussion and debate. mentality was commissioned by the Church of England and the National Institute for Mental Health in England to provide information on mental health and its promotion and protection within congregations and the wider community. The commission was received following a debate in General Synod in February 2003 (see above). The discussion at Synod, which was led by the Ven. Arthur Hawes, Archdeacon of Lincoln, explored the proposed revisions to the Mental Health Act 1983 and called for a resource of mental health awareness for use in parishes. The resource focuses on how faith communities can be welcoming to people with mental or emotional distress, as well as learning from their experiences and benefiting from their contributions. The two core principles are to provide the opportunity for people within the Christian and other faith communities to reflect on mental health and what it means for each of their members; and to use the increased knowledge and understanding of mental health to create a safer and more welcoming environment for all people, whatever their mental health needs.

To download a copy of this resource please click here - Promoting Mental Health: a resource for spiritual and pastoral care.

Mental Capacity Bill

In 2003-4 a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament scrutinised the Government’s draft Mental Incapacity Bill. The Church of England gave evidence to the Committee supporting the overall aims of the Bill but expressing concern about the possibility that it might allow euthanasia. In 2004 the Government introduced the Bill, now known as the Mental Capacity Bill, and the churches continued to follow its progress critically. The Church of England’s position was set out in a letter to The Times newspaper by the Bishop of St Albans on 14 December 2004.